Apparatus for developing photographs.



Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

APPLIOATION I'ILED SEPT. 21, 1912.

2500 &71:25 r'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANDOLPH CROMPTON, OF MAELBORO, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHS.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANDOLPH CRoMProN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Marlboro, County of Cheshire, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Developing Photographs, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parte This invention relates to developing photographs, whether the photograph to be developed is taken on a glass plate or a film, and hereinafter the word plate is used. as a comprehensive term to cover plates and -`films, either or both, flexible or otherwise.

So far as I am aware photographs have been developed heretofore either by flowing the developing medium upon the sensitized surface of the plate, or by immersing the plate in a bath of such medium, and draining off the surplus, the operation being carried on in a dark-room, thatis, oneewhich is impervious to actinic rays. Both of these methods are objectionable, for they involve the use of a dark-room, and are open 'tp the danger of spilling developing fluid over the clothing of the operator, or upon adjacentobjects.

My present invention has for its object the production of apparatus for developing whereby the foregoing objections are obviated, the developing operation being possible at any time and without the use of complicated ,and

cumbersome paraphernala.

In developing photographs in accordance with my present nvention I use a bag of suitable size and made of material impervious to actinic rays, and within the bag I carry on the operation of developing, and

washing the sensitized surface of the plate,

u 'making use of novel apparatus in so doing.

The entire process of developing is carried on inside this bag or portable dark-room,

'as it may be termed, consequently there is no danger-of injury to the plates in course of development, o'r to` the' negatives when they are finished, from the action of actinlc rays, forthe negatives are washed before they are removed from the bag.

The apparatus for carrying out the process in accordance with my invention is very simple, ndcomprehends a holder having specificaton of Letters Patent.

for the plate to be developed, with a film- Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

Application filed September 21, 1912. Serial No. ?21,577.

means to support the plate to be developed, with its sensitized surface uppermost, and means to contain and to impose successive thin sheets or films of developing medium and washing water upon such surface.

The sheet or film of liquid is imposed upon the sensitized surface of the plate by a rolling motion progressively from one to the other end of the plate.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the holder strip in position, and showing one of the' liquid carriers in readiness to impose a thin sheet or film of its liquid contents upon the sensitized surface; Fig; 2 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial tran sverse section on the line 3--3, Fig. 2, to show more clearly the construction' of the liquid carrier.

It is to be understood that While I use two carriers in carrying out my invention, one for the developing medium and another for water to wash the developed plate, the carriers are alike in Construction, henceonly one is shown herein, and it is necessary to describe in detail but onef of them.

The bag in which I prefer to carry out the developing operation forms no part, per se, of the present invention, but it may be stated that it is made of suitable material 'impervious to actinic rays, and each of its ends is provided with a hand-opening, hav- 0 ing an elastic'band to close it tightly about the wrist of the user to eXclude the light.

I will first describe the carrier, and re ferring to thedrawing the carrier is shown as aforaminate cylinder 1, made of hard rubber or other suitable material, having a closed end 2 provided with a central projection or journal 3, the opposite end- 4, also provided with a journal, as 5, having apertures 6, and having threadedengagement at 7, Fig. 3, with the open end of the'cylinder.

The cylindrical wall l of the carrier is perforate'd with small holes 8, as herein shown, and said holes are staggered, in order to secure the best results. A surface covering 9 of soft and pervious, absorbent material, such as silk, is' wound about the exterior of the 'cylndrial w ll 1, and. se-

cured in place by bindings 10. The finer and ,Closer the weave the better, so long as the pervious character is retained, the -liquid with which the 'carrier is filled percolating through the covering and exuding therefrom' in a substantially continuous surface coating, when the apparatus is in use.,

The apertures 6 in the end 1 are to admit air to the interior of the carrier, in order that the contained liquid shall pass through the surface covering with the requisite freedom, and in order to prevent the liquid from flowing out through 'said apertures 6 T cover the end 4 with some sieve-like fabric 11.

I have found' in' practice that a carrier constructed substantially as described will hold .a quantity of liquid medium, which maintains the surface of the covering 9 mois t, but that such medium will not ooze out or drip.

One of the carriers so described will be charged with developing liquid, and another carrier will be filled with water, the latter to wash the developed plate, and said carriers, with the plates to be developed, and with the holder, to be described, are introduced into the bag hereinbefore referred to.

The holder, now to be described has two functions; first, to support and properly position the plate to be developed with 'its sensitized surface uppermost, and second, to serve as a support and'guide for the carrier the liquid contents of which are to be applied to. such plate. Sad holder is herein shown as a rectangular, open-topped box 12 of suitable material, hard rubber being very convenient, and provided on the inner faces of its opposte side wall with fiXedly attached guide members 13. The upper faces of said members, which are in the same plane, support the journals 3, 5 of the carrier, and the latter can be revolved to travel endwise of the holder, from one to the other end of the guide members, the body of the carrier being interposed between the upright faces of said members, and aslight clearance is left between the ends of the carrier jour- `nals and the walls of ,the holder, as shown in Fig. 3.

At one end the'holder has a transverse slit 14:, to be used when the plate to be developed s a film strip, such as 15, the long end or tab 16 of the strip being threaded through the slit, see F igs. 1 and 2. By putting a film strip in the holder in this manner T am assured of properly seating it in position to be acted upon by the liquid in the carrier, the sensitized surface of the plate being uppermost. The plate' to be developed rests flat upon a support 17, and said support is shown herein as extended beneath the guide members 13 and held against the under faces thereof by suitable leaf springs 1 8. The support` is thus held level in operatve poston, and the plate to be developed adjacent end of the film 15 is brought against the undercut edges of the lugs, thereby squarely positioning the film upon the support 17 and keeping it down thereupon.

I have shown a film strip herein for the reason that amateur photographers use film strips, or films, to a much greater extent than glass plates, but if glass plates are used they will be positioned and sustained upon the support 17 in the same manner as has been described, but in such case'the slit 14: is not used.

4 Having now described the apparatus I will explain the developing process carried out-by the use of such apparatus.

One of the carriers having been filled with with a liquid developing medium of any desired kind, and the other carrier with cold water, they, with the holder, are placed in the developing bag. The plates, or' film- `pack, as the case may b'e, are then put into the bag, and the hands of the operatoi` are placed in the contractible ends of the bag. A, plate or film strip is then placed in the holder in the manner previously described, the necessary manipulation being so simple that it is readily carried o-ut by the sense of I touch. The developing carrier is now placed in the holder, with its journals resting on the guide members 13, and the surface covering 9 will just contact substantially tangentially with the sensitized surface of the plate. By rocking or tilting the holder 12 the carrier will be caused to roll along the' guide members and the liquid medium exuding through the covering 9 as it traverses the surface of the plate will be applied thereto in the form of a thin sheet or film. This film of liquid is applied progressively from end to end of the plate by the rolling movement of the carrier, the advancing edge of such appled film or sheet extending in a substantially continuous, straight line from side to side of the plate. The rolling action is continued for a time determined by theskill and experience of the operator, and according to the` strength of the developing medium, and thereby the enough of the developer from the plate so-` ,that the latter can be -withdrawn safely.

from the bag and placed directly into the J e 1,o57,712

opening of the bag while withdrawing the developed plate will not injure those in the bag and yet to be developed, as they are in their light-tight cases. The process above described is repeated until all of the plates have been developed.

I have found that the rolling action by` which the developing medium is applied to the plate results in very fine effects, for the appears to pass through` the covering With the requisite speed, but o-nly at the continuouslychanging tangential line of conta-ct betWeen such covering and the plate.

the perforations 8 in the cylindrical Wall of the carrier I o bviate any tendency to form lines or stripes on'the negative, If the apertures Were in regular lines around the cylinder 1 the development would tend to be accomplished to a greater extent along such lines than along the intervening spaces.

Various changes or modifications in details of construction and arrangement in the apparatus may be made by those skilled in the art without departingv from the spirit and scope of my invent-ion as set forth in the claims hereunto annexed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for developing photographs, a holder having a support to sustain in fixed position the plateto be develo-ped with its sensitized surface uppermost, a rotatable, cylindrical carrier having a surface covering of absorbent material adapted to be charged with a liquid medium, and means on the holder to support the carrier with its absorbent covering in substantially tangential engagement'with the plate,

said means guiding anddirecting the carrier when it is rolled lengthwise of the plate, to

'impose upon the surface thereof a film of the liquid medium.

2. ,In' apparatus for developing photographs, a holder having a support to sustain in fixed position the plate to be developed with its sensitized surface uppermost, a rotatable, perforated cylindrical carrier adapted tobe filled with a liquid medium and having an absorbent covering per- -vious to such medium, and means-on the holder to support and guide the carrier and maintain the covering thereof. in substan- By staggering or arranging irregularly,

'tially tangential contact with the surface of the plate when said carrier is revolved and thereby moved endwise of the plate.

3. In apparatus for developing photographs, a holder having a support to sustain in fixed position the plate to be developed, with its sensitized surface uppermost, a rotatable cylindrical carrier. having a foraminate wall provided With a covering of textile material pervious to liquids, a removable, perforated end for the'carrier, whereby it may be filled with a liquid, the perforations in the end permitting the air to cause the contained liquid 'to exude through the covering, and means on the holder to support the carrier and permit it to be' revolved to traverse the surface ofthe plate in tangential contact therewith.

4. In apparatus 'for developing photographs, a holder, a support therein to sus- 35 tain in fixed position the plate to be developed with its sensitized surface -uppermost, means to contain a liquid medium and to apply a film thereof with a rolling motion upon the sensitized surface of the plate,

and a guide on the holder to support said `means andmaintain a fixed relationship between it and the plate during-the' film-applying movement.

5. In apparatus' graphs, a holder, a support therein to sustain in fixed position the plate to be developed with its sensitized surface uppermost,

v means to contain a liquid medium and to apply a film thereof with a rolling -motion upon the sensitized surface of the plate, and guide members on the holder at opposite sides of and extended lengthwise of the plate, to support said liquid containing means and permit rotat-ive movement there- -ofto apply a thin sheet or film of the liquid upon the surface of the` plate.

6. In apparatus for developing' photographs, abox-like holder, guides fixed upon the opposite sides theeof, a foraminate, cylindrical carrier adapted to contan a liquid medium and provided with a covering pervious to such medium, the ends of the car.-

`rier fitting between the guides, journals projecting from the ends ofthe carrento be sustained by and roll upon the upper faces a of said guides, and means-to support the plate to be developed with its sensitized surface in a plane substantially in tangential contact with the covering of the carrier.

7 In ap'paratus for developing i photographs, a box-'like holder, guides fixed upon the opposite sides thereof, a foraminate, cylindrical carrier adapted to contain a liquid medium and provided With a covering pervious'to such medium, the ends of the carrier fitting between the guides, journals projecting from the ends of the carrier to be sustainecl by and roll upon the upper faces of said guides, aflat plate-support for developing photo- 95 within the holder and under said uids, and means to maintain said support yiel'dingly in operative position against the lower faces of the guides. t e

8. In apparatus for' developin'g photographs, a box-like holder, guides fixed upon the opposite si des thereof, a' foraminate, cylindrical carrier adapted to co ntain a liquid medium and provided with a covering pervious to such medium,-the ends of the carrier fitting between the guides, journals projecting from the ends of ;the carrier, to be sustained by and roll upon the upperfaces of said guides, and yieldingly sustained means to support the plate to be developed (with its sensitized surface between the guides and in a plane substantially tangent* to the covering of the rotatable carrier.

.9. In apparatus for developing photographs, a tiltable holder having a support therein to sustain in fixed position the plate to be developed with its'sensitized surface uppermost, and a freely `revoluble cylindrical, foraminate carrier to contain a liquid medium and provided with a covering pervious thereto, to apply the liquid medium with a rolling action upon the surface of the plate progressively from end to end thereof, said holder having means to control the' movement of the carrier when the holder is 'tilted 10. In apparatus for'developingphotographs, a box-like holder having a 'slit in one end, means to support afilm-strip with -its Vsensitized surface uppermost, the end of` the strip extending through the slit, lugs ,to maintain the strip seated' and positioned within the holder, a ro-tatable, cylindrical carrier having perforated walls and adapted to contain `a liquid medium, an .absorbent textile covering for the carrier, permitting the medium to exude' therefrom, and guides on the holder to'support and direct the .car-

i rier and-`pernit it tobe rolled lengthwise of the holder With its absorbent covering in tangential contact with the sensitized surface of the film-strip.

11. In apparatus for developing photograpls, a tiltable box-like holder having an opening in one end, means tosupport a film-strip with 'its sensitized surface uppermost, the non-sensitzed end of the strip extending through ,the opening,lugs toj maintain the, strip seated with its entire sensitizedsurface exposed from end to end, a rotatable cylindrical carrier freely revoluble within the holder above the film-strip,

having perforated wallsand adapted to contain a liquid medium, and an absorbent covering for the carrier pervious to 'and pera mit-ting the-liquid medium to eXude 'therethrough, the revoluble movement of the /carrier causing its absorbent covering' to roll in tangential contact-with the sensitizedsurface of the film-strip from one to ts other end. v

a rotatable, cy-lindrical carrier freely revoluble within the holder above the *film-strip, having perforated walls and" adapted to contain a liquid medium,-and an absorbent cov- -ering for the carrier pervious to and permittihg the liquid medium to eXude therethrough,r the revoluble movement of the carrier causing its absorbent covering to contact tangentially with the sensitized surface of the film-strip and roll thereupon continuously from one to the other end of such surface.

13. In apparatus for developing photographs, a tiltable holder having a support to sustain in operative position the plate to be developed with its sensit-ized surface 'uppermost, combined with a carrier freely revoluble in and lengthwise of the holder when thelatter is tilted, said carrier havinga cylindrical wall provided with irregularly arranged perforations and adapted to contain a liquid medium, and an absorbent covering forthe perforated wall of the carrier, the

medium. therein being transferred. by; the p covering when said carrier is caused to roll thereover, one end of the carrier being apertured to permit entrance 'of air thereinto to thereby cause the liquid medium to eXude through the' covering. a

14. In apparatus for developing photov graphs, a tiltable holder having a support tain in operative position the plate to be' developed with its sensitized surface uppern ost, a device to contain a lqud mediumand to apply a film thereof w th a rolling motion upon thesensitized surface of the plate, and means on the holder cooperating with and guiding the sad devce during the film-applying movement thereof.

16. In apparatus for developing photographs, a holder, means theren to support the plate'to be developed wth ts senstzed .surface uppermost, devices mountedon the supporting means to position the plat e and maintain it seated, a rotatable, cylindrical carrier having foraminate walls 'and adapt' ed to contain a liquid medium, an'absorbent `covering for the carrier and pervious togthe medium, permitting the latter to exude therefrom, and guides on the holder to support and direct the carrier and permit the same to be rolled lengthwise ,of the holder with the absorbent covering in tangential contactwith the sensitized surface of the plate.

17. In apparatus for developing photographs, a holder having a support to sustain in operative position the plate to be' developed With its senstized surface uppermost, and means to upport and gude a* reyoluble carrier, combined with the carrier having a cyiindrical wallprovided with irreguiarly arranged perforations and adapted to contain a liquid medium, and an absorbent covering for the perforated Wall of the carrier, the' medium therein being transferred by the covering to the plate when and guiding means.

said carrier is re olved upon the supporting within the holder, 'and means to contain a 4 liquid medium' and apply the same With a` rolling action upon the surface of the 'film strip progressively from end to end there-` of, said means having a cyiindricai surface covering pervious to the medium, said covering `contacting substantally tangentiall y With the sensitiZed surface of the film strip.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RANDOLPH CROMPTON: Witnesses LEAH F. KINDER, MIRIAM S. CROMPTON. 

